Guard rail structures for highways



April 1968 H. D. BURDETT ETAL 3,377,053

GUARD RAIL STRUCTURES FOR HIGHWAYS Filed May 16, 1966 Jig. 3

INVENTORS.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Uifice Patented Apr. 9, 1968 3,377,053 GUARD RAIL STRUCTURES FOR HIGHWAYS Harold D. Burdett, 3802 S. Grandview, Tempe, Ariz. 85281, and- Milton F. Walling, 3410 N. 34th Place, Phoenix, Ariz. 85018 Filed May 16, 1966, Ser. No. 550,521 3 Claims. (Cl. 256-131) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A guard rail structure for highways having frictionally restrained rotating posts with radially laterally extending rail supporting portions to yieldingly restrain and decelerate a motor vehicle striking the guard rail.

This invention pertains to fence structures and is particularly directed to improvements in guard rail structures for highways.

Background of the invention (1) The field of this invention lies in protective structures for highways and more particularly is directed to a guard rail structure extending along the side of a street or highway.

(2) Heretofore highway structures have failed to provide adequate protection for the occupants of a vehicle which collided with the guard rail structure. Further, little or no consideration has been given to the problem of speed and ease of replacing a damaged guard rail after being struck by a motor vehicle. No consideration has been given to a really effective guard rail structure to cushion the blow of engagement of the vehicle with the guard rail structure so as to gradually reduce the speed of the vehicle and thereby protect the occupants of the colliding vehicle at the time of impact with the rail.

Summary the invention One of the objects of this invention is to provide a guard rail structure for highways which may be quickly and easily set up and which may he removed for repairs or access to the road areas with a minimum of effort and skill being required in the manipulation of the guard rail structure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a guard rail structure that is highly versatile in going around curves and up and down hills and which maintains a strong cable structure for arresting a cars motion.

Still another object of this inven ion is to p'ovide a guard rail structure for a highway which may be initially positioned in a precast foundation in a rapid, accurate and efficient manner.

Still another object of this invention is to p'ovide a guard rail structure utilizing tapered shank and socket connections with the foundation along the highway so as to provide easy setup and removal of broken portions of the fence during bad accidents and to thereby get the guard rail structure back in operative condition in shortest possible time and with a minimum of effort.

Still another object of this invenion is to provide a minimum amount of foundation and post digging requirements in setting up the unique guard rail structure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a turning or yielding movement of the post structures in case an automobile or vehicle strikes the guard rail in an accident without significant damage and while at the same time providing a gradual or reduced suddenness of slow down of the vehicle when striking the guard rail to prevent excessive damage or accident to the driver and occupants of the vehicle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a T- shaped median guard rail structure for a highway including a car light divider arrangement to prevent glare from oncoming headlights in the other lanes.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a section of high way incorporating guard rails having the features of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one of the guard rail posts.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of one of the guard rail posts shown in FIG. 2, showing the median post and car light divider structure.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the side of the road berm guard post.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the side berm guard rail post of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an end guard rail anchor on cable tie utilized with the guard rail structures of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the guard rail anchor shown in FIG. 6.

This invention is related to structures such as shown in Patent 3,193,255 patented July 6, 1965.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention, there is shown a highway guard rail structure for the. median of a divided lane highway comprising in combination the T-shaped support posts 10 preferably formed of concrete, each comprising the vertical trunk portion 11 and the integral upwardly and outwardly extending lateral horizontal support portions 12' in the outer end 13 of which are secured suitable 'bolts 14 to which are fixed the cylindrical guide and support sleeves 15 having horizontally extending notches 16 to receive the guard rail cables 17. Suitable lugs 18 receive a pin or bolt 19 to loosely secure the cables 17 in sliding contact in the notches 16.

Formed integral with and depending downwardly from the trunk portion 11 are the conically tapered positioning and supporting shanks 20 which is adapted to be received in the mating conical bore 21 in the top end 22 of the foundation members 23 which are set at longitudinally spaced intervals in the ground of the median 24 dividing the roadways 25 and 26, either by setting the foundation member directly in the ground or by grouting in concrete in pre-dug holes in the ground.

It is important to note, FIGS. 3 and 5, that when the post 10 is placed with its shank 20 in the conical bore 21 of the foundation member 23, that the bottom end 27 trunk portion 11 does not bottom in the bore 21. Also, the tapers of the shank 20 and the bore 21 are so arranged that when fully engaged the bottom end 27 of the trunk portion 11 and the top end 22 of the foundation member 23 just contact or preferably have slight clearance between surfaces 22-27 so that the shank 20 is the sole means for supporting and aligning the fence structure.

Because of the frictional interengagement between the conical surfaces of the tapered shank 20 and the bore 21 the T-shaped support posts may be swiveled against frictional restraint so as to cause a takeup in a gradual manner when struck by a moving vehicle to greatly reduce damage and serious injury. Further, the hollow cylindrical guide and support sleeve 15 will bend and crush upon impact to further decelerate more softly the vehicle impact. The demountability of the support posts greatly reduces the time and trouble in restoring the guard rail structure after a collision.

In FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 are shown L-shaped side berm support posts constructed and functioning the same as in the T-shaped units just described.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 the end guard rail cable anchors 29 are shown constructed similar to the side berm support 3 posts 28 having a cylindrical cable support and shock absorber 30 fixed to the outer end 31 of the anchor 29 by a suitable anchor bolt 32, the ends of the cables 17 being wrapped around and secured to the shock absorber cylinder 30 and tied to cable anchor piers 34.

Formed integral with and depending downwardly from the trunk portion 33 are a pair of conically tapered positioning and supporting shanks 20 which are adapted to be secured in mating conical bores 21 in the top end 22 of the foundation member 23 which are set in the side berm 35 of the roadway 25 or 26. An anchor bolt 36 may preferably lock the rear portion 37 securely to the foundation member 23. The guard rail anchor 29 has an upwardly forwardly sloping surface 38 so as to eliminate a dead head-on collision with the cable anchor at culvert, bridge and pier along the roadway, the slope of the surface 38 being such as to guide the vehicle up and over and away from the object ahead.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptation as fall within the scope of the appendent claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimed and desired to be obtained by United States Letters patent is:

We claim:

1. A guard rail structure for highways comprising in combination:

(A) a plurality of rotatable support posts swivable about vertical axes arranged in longitudinally radially spaced positions along the side of a highway each having,

(B) a trunk portion having an integral horizontal laterally radially extending support portion,

(C) means on the outer ends of said support .portion for securing a guard rail above and along the side of the highway,

(D) vertically disposed conically tapered positioning and supporting shanks formed integral with and depending convergingly downwardly from the bottom end of each of said trunk portions of said support posts,

(E) and a foundation member, one for each support post, having a mating vertically disposed conical bore extending convergingly downwardly adapted to rotatably and frictionally, demountably receive said tapered shank of a support post to provide the sole means for positioning, aligning, and yieldingly frictionally rotatably restraining the guard rail structure in operative position along the side of the highway.

2. In a guard rail structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means on the outer ends of said support portions vertically slidingly supports the guard rail elements with freedom of horizontal longitudinal movement relative to said support posts.

3. In a guard rail structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein rigid guard rail anchors are provided having a plurality of integral conically tapered positioning and supporting shanks adapted to be received in mating conical bores in a foundation member and including an anchor bolt for positively securing said tapered shanks against rotation to said foundation member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 953,060 3/1910 Ross 52298 1,711,898 5/1929 Meaker 256-13.1 1,718,877 6/1929 Ramsey 25613.1 1,921,129 8/1933 Miller 25613.1 2,005,418 6/1935 Gleason et al. 256--13.1 2,163,809 6/1939 Raven 25613.1 3,193,255 7/1965 Burdett 256-59 X OTHER REFERENCES 1,358,973 3/1964 France.

DAVID J. WILLAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Examiner. 

